Leadership communications with Rob Cottingham

Getting carried off on a tangent in an interview or Q&A session can be risky. At best, you spend the time you wanted to use getting your message across on some other topic. At worst, you end up talking about …

Rehearsal doesn’t kill spontaneity — it gives you the confidence that lets you be spontaneous. You don't just know the material: you know its emotional and literal meaning,nd you've made your big choices about how …

Before a speaker steps up to the microphone, there's usually somebody who introduces them. And that introduction could be helping to set the stage …

Pick up a collection of speeches or quotations from history, and chances are most of those voices belong to men.

That's changing. More women are …

You’ve probably heard the expression “stay in your lane.” And sometimes that’s good advice — but right now, we’re facing global emergencies on an unprecedented scale, and we need voices speaking out for truth, …

Well over a year into remote presentations as the norm, people are getting pretty good at it... but some mistakes are still cropping up again and again.

Last time, we looked at four of the seven deadly sins of online …

Well over a year into remote presentations as the norm, people are getting pretty good at it... but some mistakes are still cropping up again and again.

In this two-episode series, we'll meet the seven deadly sins of …

Sure, you and I would never take someone else’s writing and pretend it was our own. But not all plagiarism is deliberate. It can be surprisingly easy …

So many leadership communications mistakes come down to one thing: not having a clear goal and a roadmap to get there. That’s especially true when it comes to areas where leaders aren’t as familiar with the subject …

Public speaking has changed a lot in the past year, since conference halls and auditoriums went dark and we traded stages and amplifiers for webcams and video. But those changes can help us be better speakers, when the …

Mispronouncing someone's name from the stage is a lot more than a minor screwup. Here's why speakers should never go to the mic without knowing the …

Presenting online? Don't make the mistake of thinking longer is better. When you're speaking via video, you want to keep things short. Here's how to …

If you're spending all day in Zoom meetings, then it's easy to think that speaking by video automatically means showing your head and shoulders... …

You might have thought up-close video would be more intimate than speaking from the stage. But one big thing we're learning from remote presentations …

This time, we look at how the technology visionaries at Mozilla are making the pivot from face-to-face leadership communications to virtual channels. …

If sharing really is caring, then the content you share needs to be content you really care about — and content your audience will care about too.

This episode we look at content curation... and why just shovelling …

With so many face-to-face presentations being cancelled, a lot of speakers are looking at going virtual. But with webinars and online conferences suddenly getting a second look, it’s important to keep in mind their …

Cancelled speaking gigs are a fact of life, but never more than today. And hey: with social distancing and disease prevention rightly taking precedence over oratory, we know better than to feel sorry for ourselves over …

Getting leadership communications right is never more important than in the middle of a crisis. And as COVID-19 coronavirus outbreaks happening throughout much of the world, you may well be facing a crisis soon.

Last …

In a crisis, people are looking for reassurance, a sense of security... and leadership. And with COVID-19 coronavirus outbreaks happening across the planet, you may soon need to step up on behalf of your organization — …

Are you falling into the trap of sing-song delivery? You could be sapping your speech's strength and breaking your connection to the audience. Here's …

Sooner or later speechwriters and other leadership communications practitioners find ourselves talking to a subject matter expert: somebody (usually part of your client's organization) who’s going to give some of their …

It can be tempting to sell from the stage... especially when you know some of the people in your audience could be great customers. But resist that …

Having trouble connecting emotionally with a speech you're writing or rehearsing? Maybe it's because you're trying to speak to the whole audience …

I'm always telling you to tell stories... so for the 50th episode of the podcast, I'm going to share one of my own. It's about what a dead pigeon taught me about being a good speechwriter.

Music: Theme: "Good Times" by …

Coming up empty as you try to write your speech? Wondering why your presentations aren't landing quite as well as you know they should? You probably …

For some reason, we love to hear how superheroes got their powers — their origin stories. And audiences will want to hear yours, too. Here's how to tell the story of how you got here in a way that connects with your …

As leaders, it can be tempting to forget that not everyone likes being the centre of attention. And when you have an audience, you can all too easily throw a harsh, unforgiving spotlight onto someone who isn't ready for …

This summer’s film Long Shot is an entire movie about how speechwriter and speaker relate to each other. And it has something to teach us about making that relationship work — and how the key ingredient is time.

If …

What does a speech look like stripped of the craft of speechwriting? HBO's hit show Succession gave us a glimpse with a hilarious eulogy delivered by …

You can write a speech for a someone. Read it through. Rehearse with the speaker. But you won’t really know how effective it is unless you’re there …

A lot of speakers who'd happily get up in front of a thousand-person audience start getting the shakes at the thought of speaking to children or …

Writing is usually a pretty solitary pursuit. But solitary doesn’t have to mean isolated. Find out how Elana Aptowitzer created a community of …

We’ve focused on speaking and speechwriting in the podcast — but there’s more than one way to connect with an audience. And one of the best: the venerable op-ed piece.

About my guest: Today’s guest knows op-eds better …

If you really want your audience to care about what you're saying, they need to know you care about it too. And that starts with the attitude you project... and the stands you're willing to take.

Music: Theme: "Good …

Quotations are one of a speechwriter's essential tools — right up there with metaphors, jokes and 3 a.m. espresso. But borrowed eloquence doesn't …

Most of us like to think of ourselves as basically honest people. But as speakers and speechwriters, it's surprisingly easy to find ourselves …

Political protest is on the rise — and with it, a growing need for leaders to speak to protest rallies. This episode, we talk with veteran …

Political protest is on the rise — and with it, a growing need for leaders to speak to protest rallies. This episode, we talk with veteran …

Want to be a better speechwriter? One of the best ways to improve your speechwriting is to get out from behind your keyboard and get in front of an …

It may be in a media interview, a Q&A, a debate or a townhall. But when you're a leader, chances are sooner or later you're going to face tough questions. It just comes with the territory.

The key to being ready for …

What does acting have to do with authenticity? More than you might think. This episode, we look at how the tools actors bring to their most …

There's no well-worn, signposted career path to being a speechwriter. That's the bad news. The good news? There are plenty of other paths in. This episode, we look at how to break into speechwriting — and some lessons …

None of us is perfect, and sooner or later, leaders have to apologize for something. Sometimes it’s something out of your control; sometimes it …

Over the past 29 episodes, we've looked at how you can be a better, more effective speaker and speechwriter. For episode 30, let's magnify your …

This episode, we talk about how expanding the kinds of media you like to read, watch and listen to can make you a better speechwriter and speaker.

Links: The 100-Mile Diet by Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon

Music: “Upbeat

Niches are great places to develop a deep understanding of audience and subject matter, and to build community... but they can get pretty insular. …

Speeches are amazing. They can move audiences, inspire crowds... and they can help you create new content, quickly and easily! In this episode, we'll look at 10 ways you can repurpose your next speech into high-impact …

When it comes to your organization's leadership speaking, you have strategic resources in play and strategic values on the line. That makes a pretty good case for a speaking strategy. Here's how to take the first steps …

The applause from your speech may have faded, but the connection you make with your audience doesn't have to. Engaging online can help you deepen and broaden your audience relationship, while building a growing network …

Who are the top performers who need to review their performances so they can improve? Athletes... actors... and speakers like you! This episode, let's talk about how to review and improve your speaking and your content.

This episode ties together everything we've talked about around speech delivery with one big idea for truly powerful speaking: commitment.

Links: …

Break out of the lectern cage! Make the stage your own... and learn how to use movement to deepen your presentation's connection to your audience. …

When you treat your voice as an instrument (and not an afterthought!) great things happen to your speeches... and to your audiences. This episode, we …

For once, the conventional wisdom has it right: eye contact with your audience is powerful. Here's how to put it to work for you — even when you have …

Roll up your sleeves... because this episode we talk about the tools of the public speaking trade. And one tool in particular: your microphone.

Music:

I'm all about encouraging speakers to prepare and rehearse — but let's face it. There are times when you just haven't had a moment to prepare, and now it's 10 minutes 'til stage time.

So maybe this isn't going to be a …

Think rehearsal and preparation kills your spontaneity? This episode could change your mind — by showing you how rehearsal actually frees you to make …

This episode, we pivot from speechwriting to speaking itself. And we start with the single biggest way most speakers can level up: authentic performance.

Links: Steal the Show by Michael Port is a smashing book on …

How often have you asked for feedback with "let me know what you think"?

If you're trying to spark conversation, it isn't a bad gambit. But if you want actionable feedback on your speech, you need to use a much more …

Your speech has brought your audience on an emotional odyssey, and you've reached your narrative destination together. Now's the time to invite them …

...Wait, what?

By all means, meet — or beat — your audience's expectations for what they'll get out of your speech. But not for what you put into it. Here's how to be surprising... and unpredictable, but reliable.

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Every instinct tells us to make our audiences comfortable. Yet a little discomfort can lead to some of the most powerful experiences your speech can …

The world is full of speeches weighed down with terrible slide decks. Don't let yours be one of them. This episode, we look at how to make PowerPoint …

When your speech unleashes a flood of statistics, you can lose your audience's interest — and their emotional connection — fast. Let's talk about how to chose a gem of a statistic and put it in the perfect setting... …

The folks in the room are just one of the audiences your speech is going to reach. Here's how to think through who else may be listening in... and …

Plain language can make your speech a lot clearer, and allow your ideas and thinking to shine through. But there are times when speechwriters and speakers want to reach for the more complex words... and even use (gasp!) …

Between "helpful" suggestions from others and your own creativity, it often isn't easy keeping a speech on topic and on track. Here are some tools …

You've probably always been told to project confidence and certainty  when you're speaking from the stage. But if you want to truly connect with your …

We've talked about your speech's one big story, the narrative arc. But running in tandem with it is something at least as important to your audience: the emotional arc.

Music: “Upbeat” by Jon Luc Hefferman, used under a …

There are almost as many ways to approach writing a speech as there are speeches. But each one boils down to a story — one where the audience can …

Before you can move an audience to where you'd like them to be, you need to know them. And that means a lot more than a head count. Here's what to look for, and where to find it — so you know exactly how to reach and …

The first thing you need to know before you start crafting a speech is this: what's your goal? What do you want your audience to think, feel and do …